Warmth
by Kidan Yoshilda
Summary: It's winter, but things are heating up! Cloud's heart is being filed between best friends, Aeris, and Tifa, if that weren't enough, Sephiroth's soul is warming up to a beautiful Ancient after the haunting memories of his past...
1. Chapter 1

Warmth

Note: Whoo! I'm back in the FF7 section! ^^ *waves arms around* More love-triangle-gooey-ness! ^_^; Well…a love…square. O.o ^^; Anyhoo! This fanfiction comes with a luverly soundtrack.

1 - American Hi Fi - Flavor of the Weak

2 - Enigma - Gravity of Love

3 - American Hi Fi - Another Perfect Day

4 - LFO - 6 Minutes

5 - Westlife - Uptown Girl

6 - A*Teens - Heartbreak Lullaby

7 - Pink - Don't Let Me Get Me

8 - REM - Imitation of Life

9 - P.O.D. - Alive

10 - Sarah McLachlan - Adia

11 - Enrique Iglesias - Escape

Yea, weird music mix, huh? ^^; Well, I'm a weird person. ^^; Oh well. Thank you for reading the first chapter of Warmth!!! ^^; Please read + review! Yayyy!

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Aeris Gainsborough fingered her pink ribbon absentmindedly. Her green eyes were opened halfway, sparkling from the sunset glittering on the horizon. She dropped her hand onto her lap, and bowed her head. Her eyes closed. She seemed to have fallen asleep, but her long, chestnut hair recoiled back, and slapped her back, brushing the red leather jacket she wore.

Aeris brought her head back up, blinking sleepily again. She felt the goldenrod-colored feathers of the chocobo under her fingers. The animal plodded agilely, talons padding on the soft green grass.

"Hey?" A rising voice came from behind her, "You alright?"

The woman sitting behind her had long, raven black hair. She was younger then Aeris, but taller and more well-developed. She blinked her red eyes, and tilted her head to the side. She was a truly beautiful young woman.

__

How pretty…

"I'm fine oneesan." She responded, turning back around.

Tifa Lockheart was not going to let Aeris go so easily. "You look like you're gonna fall over. Are you sure your all right?"

"I'm fine, I mean it." She smiled gently.

Aeris and Tifa were best friends, Aeris was older, but looked up to Tifa more as an older sister referring to her maturity rather than her age. Though Tifa had only met Aeris a few months earlier, but they had become fast friends. They were friends because they were the opposites of each other.

Tifa comfortingly patted little Aeris's head. "Be careful, you. Worry our lives out, huh?"

She smiled, and closed her eyes again. The aching of her sunburn across her arms stung harshly, and her muscles were sore from fighting, everything relaxed as she rested her weary eyes.

* * *

Sephiroth slid his fingers through his snow-touched silver hair. His emerald eyes searched the clean forest carefully. He continued, a solitary warrior, but at a odd peace with the things around him. For these things belonged to the planet, which he reigned. He drew his Masamune, and gracefully planted it into the stone nearby with his tremendous power.

He sat on one of the rocks, brooding carefully in his mind over his thoughts. His palms sweated under the thick black gloves, not from nervousness, or fear, but from intellect, and morose. Leaning back against the trees, he closed his eyes and thought. He yawned thoughtlessly, and blinked. He rose his hand to his cheek, longing to feel his icy-cold skin, but only feeling the inside of his glove.

His body ached with cold, yet he longed to feel the ice against him. It would sooth his brooding mind as it would a wound. Sephiroth laid his head back on it's side against the cold tree behind him, and heaved a sigh.

Sephiroth fingered his hair absentmindedly. How long it was! In his journeys he took care of the beautiful, odd-colored hair, but had failed to notice it's startling length. He smiled gently, and let his hair fall back down smoothly. 

The forest bore silence into his ears, the tranquility pleased him. The planet seemed to pet his ravaged body like a mother to a child, the energy inside of him seemingly rising, but his body wanted to stay glued against the cold weather-beaten rocks. He sighed blissfully, content against the Planet's environment. 

An itch arose on his neck, he scratched at it without a mind, but then, he glanced to it's location.

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01.

That was the brand on his neck. The brand that marked his slavery. And his freedom.

* * *

Cloud Strife yawned, eagerly waiting for the sun on the horizon to set so they could make camp.

He was a thin twenty-one year old boy, who was strong, but not bulky. Cloud's eyes were the color of daybreak, the soft blue hues turning a beautiful shade. He relaxed his weary muscles, shoulders slumping. He tilted his head skyward, blinking at his own namesake.

__

Snowflakes?

The snowflakes dipped on Cloud's goldenrod hair, breaking at it's sharpness. They fell to his face, where they quickly melted on his warm face. He closed his eyes for a moment. He sighed, and turned around.

He watched the girls on the yellow animal with scrutiny. The snow melted easily on Tifa. She seemed to enjoy the cold water trickling down her face. He glanced towards the flowergirl in front of her. The snow lingered on her skin, accumulating. Her eyes were gently sealed, and she looked ready to tip off of the back of the bird.

"Hey--" Cloud said verbally, "Why don't we go ahead and stop. It's late."

Aeris, relieved, slipped off the chocobo and onto the soft dead grass. The sun set in the distance, she laid her head against the dirt, exhausted. Cloud slid off his bird, and knelt by her.

"Whoa, kiddo! Just fall off, why don't you?" Tifa said agressively, pulling Aeris back up with one arm. "I know you're sleepy, but please try and stay awake long enough to set up camp?"

Aeris nodded, and laid her bag of belongings down. She fingered the opening until it opened wide enough to draw out a very pretty dagger. It bore inlaid materia, which were unable to tear out. Luck materia, and speed, but it was more of a good luck charm, intricately carved. Aeris slid it back in the sack. She pulled out what she needed, and closed up the bag again. She smiled, and fell to her side.

She looked sideways, up at the snow falling onto her faded pink dress. It had already coated her lovely hair, and chilled her metal wristbands to the core. 

The ground was frozen- It was definitely winter.


	2. Chapter 2

Warmth

Note: Hi y'all! ^_^; This is gonna heat up a bit more… Loveeeeee is in the aaaaaiiiiir… *sings loudly, gets pelted by snowballs* O.O Nevermind then…

For everyone who read Sakura, you'll notice the chapters are longer. ^-^ Hee. I decided I'd get more in if I wrote it longer. But, oh yes, there WILL be cliffhangers, darlings. ^_^ There always are with me. ~Aeris-chan

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Aeris blinked. She found herself waking up, but a soothing hand on her head, which she recognized as Tifa's, coaxed her back to sleep. 

Tifa blinked worriedly at her befriended flowergirl, patting at her matted hair. "Cloud, don't you think we're moving a little too quickly?"

Cloud watched the two girls thoughtfully for a moment. "Yea, we're going a little bit fast," he reasoned with himself, "But if Sephiroth gets to the temple of the-"

"Sephiroth is only human! He has to walk or ride everywhere he goes…" Tifa flushed, embarrassed, "Or he flies head-long, whatever his choice, I guess."

"Sephiroth is not human, he's a different being, Tifa. We don't know enough to worry about it."

"Still, we're moving a bit too quickly in the cold." Tifa narrowed her eyes. She was GONNA win this fight.

Cloud backed off from the viper-like Tifa that sat in front of him. "W-Well, what's the next town?"

"Lets find out." She said harshly, grabbing the map from Cloud's pocket with one swipe.

While Tifa gazed over the map, Cloud glanced down at the sleeping Aeris he had failed to notice. Her hair spread neatly around her like a halo, her sweet eyes were sealed, lips parted ever so slightly, curled in a little ball. Her chest heaved a sigh. Aeris looked exhausted, but quite content.

Cloud smiled and patted her head absentmindedly as he glanced over Tifa's shoulder.

"Kalm looks like the nearest town." Tifa concluded.

"Then let's go there and rest a while."

"Alright, then." Tifa nodded.

Cloud stood up and dusted off his pants. They both took down the fragile campsite, careful not to wake little Aeris up. She yawned sweetly, and nuzzled her head into her hand. She curled into a smaller ball, yawning again.

Cloud shoved all of the items into a parcel, and woke the drowsy chocobos. He tied the packages neatly- he knew if he did them sloppily, Tifa would give him grief about it for weeks.

"Hey Cloud, we should let Aeris sleep…" Tifa said quietly, nimbly stepping over Aeris's sleeping form.

"Yea... but… who's gonna carry her?"

* * *

Sephiroth walked quickly, over the fields, the harsh snow getting to his numbed senses. He blinked his sore eyes painfully, but kept proceeding. Snow lovingly caressed his cheek as it fell onto his skin. He glanced at the snow on the ground.

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How you loved the snow…

He knelt on the ground, and pawed at the snow with his black gloved hand. How cold it was now! It had been numbing earlier, but now all he felt was cold. He ran his hand along it with fascination, dragging the back of his hand across the powder.

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Cold… just like your skin.

He envisioned her grassy-green eyes, large and child-like, smiling at him. She looked so warm, but her body was so very cold all the time. He had tried many methods to warm her freezing hands, but to no avail.

Sephiroth laid his hands deep into the snow and leaned forward. He pressed his lips against the ice, savoring the taste that escaped into his lips.

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Is this what your lips would have felt like?

Sephiroth stayed there, knelt in the snow for a long time. But then he lifted his head, and directed his glazed green eyes to the blue tiled village ahead of him.

"Kalm…" He whispered.

He tore himself away from the relaxing cold, brushing his cheek against it one last time as he sat up. He shifted his weight back onto his legs again, and stepped onto the fresh handprints he had just left behind, heading for the town.

* * *

There was an agreement. Aeris slept placidly, Cloud's arms around her stomach, while she sidesaddle on the bird. Her head rested on his shoulder, icy forehead laid against his neck. With every step the bird took, she seemed to bob. And each time, Cloud took a tighter grip on her. Strife tried to keep a straight face as the satin hair-ribbon Aeris wore tickled his neck. He fought back giggles, but was unable to battle the warm smile across his face.

Tifa rode on her own, by his side, also sidesaddle, carefully looking ahead of her. What should she be afraid of? Aeris was asleep, she wasn't intending to seduce him or anything. And most of all, she was her best friend. Tifa trusted the flowergirl. 

Nobody made a sound, except for Aeris's sighs every now and then and Tifa's small stretches. The birds clucked every now and then, tossing back their heads.

Aeris yawned gently, and stirred from her deep slumber. She felt Cloud's warm arms around her, and kept her eyes at rest. She relaxed, half awake and half dreaming, she snuggled her head into a cozier spot.

Cloud flushed red, and looked away quickly. It was utterly silent for miles.

He glanced to Tifa, who nodded gently.

"Aeris? Aeris…" He cooed to her, trying to rouse her.

He shook her shoulders very gently, reluctant to disturb her. She moaned a bit and her body tensed up. Her eyes fluttered open, she quickly squeezed them shut again, sore from the white light.

"Ouuu…" She whimpered.

"Sorry, We're almost there." Tifa reassured.

"Almost where….?

"Kalm." Cloud responded.

"Okay…"

"Aeris? You don't look well, do you feel alright? You need medicine?" Tifa demanded.

"No, no. I'm fine."

Her heart pounded in her chest, her palms were sweaty, even though they were freezing.

She lied.

* * *

No one paid heed to the man with the long sword on his back. He slid easily into town. Mistaken for a Goth teenager or perhaps a beatnik, they showed no alarm. His hair fluttered in the arctic breeze, He shuddered, and pulled his black cloak around him. 

Sephiroth quickly entered a café, yearing for the warmth of a fire or heating.

The café smelled of hot Java, he breathed it in. The dark-colored café was filled with chilly people desperate for heat.

He shuffled to a chair and sat down. The waitress smiled pleasantly and waited for an order. He asked for a hot cup of decaffeinated coffee, and watched the world outside the window. The warm café began to sooth his weary muscles, he rested his arm on the counter, watching.

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I never wanted you sad… He blinked.

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But when it snowed, you always were.

The waitress set the cup next to him with a clink, he sipped it, pacified by it's heat.

__

It just slowed you down… like an anchor being dragged behind a beautiful ship.

He closed his eyes and breathed in the warm steam rising from the cup. He stayed that way for quite awhile, occasionally taking deep sips of his coffee. He opened his eyes halfway, and flicked his head to the side casually to get rid of a stray lock of hair on his shoulder.

Then he saw her. He spilled his coffee onto the floor in alarm. She was here.

Continued….


	3. Chapter 3

Warmth

Note from Aeris: I. Am. SOOOO sorry, you guys!! I really didn't mean to wait this long, but as my classmates would know, I'm the *worst* procrastinator. The story was kinda thrown aside when an invader came in (*hackcough*…FFX…*coughhack*) I kinda *gulp* forgot about it… But I had a weird dream of the continuation of this story, so alas, here we are!

I guess this could be counted as an AU, since it changes the flow of the storyline. But it isn't as extreme as an AU like Sakura was. The other characters are…where they are when you don't call on them, I guess.

Note: By the way, Sephiroth didn't spill it on himself, he spilled it on the floor. If he had poured it on himself, the whole world would be gone by now. Thank you.

Anyway. Let's get on with it.

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It was her.

Sephiroth apologized quickly, and set more then enough money on the counter, not even bothering to stay for his change when he bolted out of the cozy café and into the snow. 

He knelt behind a sign, and acted as if he was tying his shoe. Sephiroth carefully watched the group enter. She turned her head left and right dazedly. She seemed very pale… And very cold, as usual.

She was there, in front of the Inn. Carefully being escorted inside, her disposition suddenly looking very frail.

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What's wrong with her?

As soon as she disappeared into the inn, he quietly followed her, pulling his trench coat around him. He shuffled into the inn, breathing in it's potpourri scent. Sephiroth watched as she stumbled and Cloud caught her in his strong arms. He gripped a thin banister pole, snapping it under his hand.

After leading her into the room, he picked her up, borrowing one hand to pull back the warm, thick covers, and laid her down softly on the sheet. He tucked her in tenderly, knelt by her bedside, placing one hand to rest on her cheek.

Tifa pulled up a chair for Cloud, and, talking in soft tones, nodded and ran out of the room.

Sephiroth evaded quickly as not to be noticed, and then continued to gaze at her.

* * *

Aeris breathed harshly under Cloud's hand. Sweat soaked her pale face, her head laid on the soft feathery pillow. Cloud watched over her worriedly, rubbing her cheek fondly.

"Aeris? Aeris, are you still awake?" He called soothingly to her.

"mmhmm…" She answered.

"What hurts?"

"Everything…" She moaned.

"Alright, alright, just calm down now… get some rest. We'll see how you feel in the morning, okay?" Cloud rubbed her cheek soundly until she closed her eyes.

While everything was dark to her vision, she felt his hand onto her forehead again, and then tucking her in closer. Her hair made quiet shifting noises as he let her hair down from it's locks. She then felt her boots being taken off, and heard them be set by the door. The warm hands returned to her face, caressing her cheek carefully. 

Aeris finally sighed, and fell fast asleep.

Cloud rubbed her shoulder for a moment, stood up, and left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

* * *

It felt like it was long ago. But now nobody is really sure it happened at all.

Ifalna knew it was coming. She just didn't know what to do. In the middle of the night, she would break down crying, too frightened to think.

Whenever her mother cried, little Aeris would, too. Her mother would hold the baby girl close, sobbing.

But she knew it was coming.

When the day came, Ifalna tucked her little baby into a black dress, after changing into one herself. Ifalna was ready. She was ready to go… home.

* * *

The little green-eyed toddler cried. The horror her emerald eyes had seen was enough to cause a fully grown adult to break down.

"Mommy! Mommy!" the child sobbed.

Little Aeris was alone in a cold cell, shivering and sobbing. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all steel, bearing the familiar six letters everyone feared, "Shinra."

Aeris laid down on the floor, unable to see in the darkness. She moaned piteously, looking at the tiny window of bars unhappily.

Suddenly, a light outside the window flicked on.

Aeris backed up, wrapping her arms around her knees. Was this an angel to take her away? She hoped it was so. 

Yet, instead of an angel with grand white wings, another sort of angel entered. He was thin and lanky, he obviously hadn't been eating much, his long silvery hair held in a ponytail with a black satin ribbon. He wore a battered white tank top, and white shorts, torn and frayed at the ends. The boy carried a tray, holding a small piece of hardened bread.

"Who are you?" Aeris asked, full of wonder at the angelic boy who entered.

"Are you new here?" He asked, his voice calm.

"Yes…" She whimpered.

"Here," he offered the tray, "Some food to eat."

Aeris politely took the bread, and nibbled on it, even though it was overcooked. The boy sat down and watched her, blinking his amazing green eyes. After she had finished, she laid down on the hard metal floor.

"Why are you staying here?" Aeris curiously asked.

"I'm your cellmate. My name's Sephiroth!" He smiled.

"I'm Aeris." She smiled back.

* * *

Months had past since they had met, tiny Aeris had grown accustomed to the place she lived in, but it was winter now.

The girl's pink cheeks were now pale as sheets, she shivered heavily, unable to control her massive shaking. Her breath was visible in the air, eyes bloodshot from the dryness. She was scarcely able to breath between shivers, huddled in her corner.

"Are you alright?" Sephiroth questioned, almost immune to the cold.

Aeris could only whimper.

Sephiroth approached her, and felt her shoulder. The child was freezing to the core, shivering heavily, hypothermia setting in to her tiny body. He watched her shiver for a long time, and then sat beside her, and took her into his arms. Aeris stopped quivering as badly, warmed by his body heat. She tucked her head under his chin, and sniffled.

"Thank you…"

Aeris closed her eyes and sighed, sound asleep in under a minute.

* * *

Sephiroth slipped in after making sure Cloud was gone, and froze.

He stood there for a long while, dripping melted snow onto the floor. His green eyes were wide, awestruck. He wanted to run to her, and throw his arms about her, but he couldn't find the strength to move his legs.

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It was her.

Slowly, Sephiroth inched towards her, the beautiful details of the girl's little body becoming more apparent with each step. He crept to the chair, and sat down, rigid.

And there she was, sound asleep, curled up in front of him. He cautiously lifted his hand, and placed it on her cheek. 

"You're hot?" Sephiroth raised both eyebrows.

She shivered in sheer opposite, and nuzzled her head against his hand. Sephiroth blinked, and rubbed her cheek with his thin fingers.

She was slowly beginning to wake, he kept her asleep by petting her hair. After making sure she was completley asleep, Sephiroth reached down, and took her into his arms.

"Don't worry." He said, speaking to the sleeping child, "When I… take this planet for mother…."

He smiled brightly. "I'll make sure you're warm."

"Aeris-chan…my Aeris-chan…"

He smiled warmly at her. 

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Continued in Chapter 4….


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